The 20 best cocktails to serve at Christmastime

Mint and cranberry are holiday season staples, so why not put them together in one drink? Muddle them together, or simply add a splash of cranberry juice into your cocktail shaker.

It's like a candy cane melted into an alcoholic beverage. Perfect as a grown-up dessert option after Christmas dinner.

This festive go-to is a must during the holiday season.

The mixture of rye whiskey, maple cream and nutmeg is perfect for warming up on a cold holiday evening.

It's your favorite cider, with a nice boozy kick.

Run-of-the-mill eggnog is boring. Play with different spices —heck, maybe you aren't a nutmeg person — and add different alcohols.

Vanilla vodka and chocolate liqueur — Bailey's works well — mix with gingerbread for a fantastic twist on your Christmas Eve martini.

The cosmo already has a holiday vibe with the cranberry, but it gets an extra festive kick when pomegranate is added.

Christmas brunch? A pomegranate mimosa will do the trick. Plus, you can doctor this drink up throughout the year by adding seasonal fruit — like blueberries in the summer.

Skip the coffee and whip up an extra spicy one of these while the kids are opening their presents.

Cranberry and ginger give this popular beverage a holiday twist.

Apples and cranberries are perfect additions to a cold-weather-friendly sangria.

Want to add even more cheer to your bubbles? Add pomegranate seeds.

Make this warm-weather sipper holiday-appropriate with the addition of apples and champagne.

The Culinary Institute of America makes its punch with ginger liqueur and cardamom bitters — quite the tasty diversion from your everyday punch.

You don't have to drink it hot, either! Mix things up and sip it over ice.

This Thanksgiving-y cocktail is still good into the December holidays. All the flavors in Rum Chata help bring the slice-of-pie-in-a-glass to life.

This moonshine can be made anywhere from a couple hours to a couple days before serving. Don't feel like hovering over the stove? Apple pie moonshine is available at many specialty stores.

Known as a "Black Velvet," this quirky concoction is surprisingly smooth and a fun addition to the cocktail hour menu.

Forget the fancy cocktail recipes; heat up some hot cocoa and throw your favorite adult beverage in there. You can't go wrong.